Dumbbell

ABSTRACT

A dumbbell comprises a pair of frame members, each having a lower plate-like portion and an upper stem portion. The frame members are coupled together via spacer bars. An upper spacer bar is coupled to the frames members at the stem portions, and a handle is mounted for rotation about the upper spacer bar. Two lower spacer bars positioned near the front and back of the plate-like portions of the frame members. 
     The frame members may provide the desired weight, either through choice of material, plate thickness or both, or the frame members may be provide a basic “master” weight plate for the dumbbell, with additional weight being provided by the addition of one or more weight plates to each frame member. 
     Pads are mounted about the lower spacer bars, and are positioned to contact the wrist area of a user during exercise movements. A gap is defined between the pads through which the hand of a user may inserted to grasp the dumbbell in an upside-down orientation for secure control and comfort for certain exercise movements. 
     The dumbbell may also be manipulated by the handle or stems for certain kettlebell exercises.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to exercise apparatus of the strength-training type employing a source of resistance against a user's exercise movement, a handle gripped by the user during the exercise movement, and means coupling the handle to the resistance source for permitting the user's exercise movement to be resisted by the source.

Examples of such equipment are barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells. The term “dumbbell” as used throughout shall refer, individually and collectively, to dumbbells and barbells. As is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, dumbbells (with the exception of kettlebells) comprise a bar that extends generally longitudinally between opposing end regions, a weight plate mass mounted about the bar at each end region, the mounted weight plate masses at the respective end regions being secured to the dumbbell, and a handle region longitudinally inward of the weight plate masses that can be gripped by a user during exercise movement of the dumbbell. A kettlebell is a weight having a typical appearance akin to a cannonball with an affixed handle, although other shapes are known in the art as well.

As used herein, the term “lateral” will be used to denote a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

SUMMARY

An improved dumbbell is described herein that provides continuous resistance during certain exercise movements, permits the dumbbell to be used for kettlebell exercises, and provides a degree of comfort and versatility that is previously unknown. The dumbbell comprises a pair of longitudinally-spaced frame members, each having a lower plate-like portion and an upper stem portion; a generally longitudinally-extending upper spacer bar coupled to the frames members at the stem portions; a first generally longitudinally-extending lower spacer bar coupled to the frame members at the front regions of the frame members' plate-like portions; a second generally longitudinally-extending lower spacer bar coupled to the frame members at the rear regions of the frame members' plate-like portions; and a handle mounted for rotation about the upper spacer bar.

These and other details concerning the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, of which the drawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the preferred embodiment,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a preferred dumbbell constructed in accordance with the invention, the back being a mirror image thereof

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation view of a dumbbell constructed in accordance with the invention, the left side being a mirror image thereof;

FIG. 3 is a right front oblique view of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the dumbbell of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a left side view illustrating the use of the dumbbell in an exercise movement;

FIG. 7 is a left side view illustrating the use of the dumbbell in another exercise movement;

FIG. 8 is a left side view illustrating the use of the dumbbell in a kettlebell exercise movement;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the exercise illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 illustrates another kettlebell exercise permitted by the dumbbell herein;

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate another version of a kettlebell exercise permitted by the dumbbell herein; and

FIG. 13 illustrates the nominal dimensions of a dumbbell constructed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a dumbbell 10 comprises a pair of longitudinally-spaced frame members 12 a, 12 b. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the frame members each have a lower plate-like portion 121 and an upper stem portion 122. The frame members 12 a, 12 b are coupled together via spacer bars that are secured to the frame members by fasteners 14. The fasteners are preferably externally threaded to mate with internal threading of the spacer bars, and secured with a thread-locking adhesive such as that sold under the Loctite brand by Henkel AG & Co.

One of the spacer bars is a generally longitudinally-extending upper spacer bar that is coupled to the frames members 12 a, 12 b at the stem portions thereof. A handle 15 is mounted for rotation about the upper spacer bar so as to rotate about axis 16 therethrough, preferably via a bearing arrangement that permits smooth and essentially friction-free rotation.

Two generally longitudinally-extending lower spacer bars are preferably positioned to couple to the frame members at the front and back regions of the plate-like portions of the frame members, respectively. The lower spacer bars pass longitudinally through respective pads 18, and are preferably generally cylindrical in shape. Thus, the frame members 12 a,12 b are coupled together in stable manner by the three spacer bars.

The pads 18 mounted about each of the lower spacer bars are positioned to contact the wrist area of a user during exercise movements. Accordingly, the pads are preferably formed from a foam that provides sufficient support and comfort for the user, and may be contoured or not. One preferred contour is a slight concave shape to gently center the user's wrist (and, therefore, palm) between the opposing ends of the handle. The use of three spacer bars provides strength and stability to the assembled dumbbell.

Preferably, the bottom edges of the plate members 12 a, 12 b are slightly concave in shape as they extend from the front to the back of the dumbbell; i.e., from left to right in FIG. 2. The front and back edges accordingly provide four regions of support for the dumbbell when it is placed on the floor or other supporting surface, even when that surface is not completely planar. This configuration lends sufficient stability to the dumbbell to enable it to be used for push-ups by a user, whereby the user places his/her hands on the handles of a dumbbell pair at roughly shoulder-width apart and performs the movement. Legs could alternatively be formed on the frame members, but the use of a slightly concave edge provides the needed stability without a requirement for complex machining processes or additional parts assembly.

The dumbbell illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 differs from the dumbbell illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5 only in that FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 illustrate a configuration wherein additional weight plates 20, 22, 24, 26 have been added to the frame members. In accordance with the invention, the frame members may provide the desired weight, either through choice of material, plate thickness or both, or the frame members may be provide a basic “master” weight plate of the dumbbell, with additional weight being provided by the addition of one or more weight plates to each frame member. Again, multiple weight plates can be used on each frame member, or the added weight can be a function of plate material and/or dimensions of the added plates.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, however, the preferred weight plate is mounted against the plate portion of the frame member, and does not encroach into the region adjacent the stem portions 122. The advantage of this configuration will be explained later.

FIG. 6 illustrates a first exercise movement using the dumbbell herein; namely, a bicep curl. As seen in FIG. 6, the user has grasped the handle 15 in a palm-up manner and has begun the movement. One of the pads 18 has contacted the user's outer forearm just above the wrist (i.e., towards the elbow). The center of the dumbbell's mass is offset from the user's hand and, with the pad acting as a fulcrum, continues to exert a counter-torque against the user's bicep, even as the user's hand approaches a vertical position.

FIG. 7 illustrates a second exercise movement using the dumbbell herein; namely, a lateral raise. As seen in FIG. 7, the user has inserted his hand, palm-down, through the bottom of the dumbbell via a gap formed between the two pads 18. The gap may be best noted from FIGS. 2-3. Accordingly, three points of contact are made with the user's arm for security and controllability during the exercise movement: both pads 18 are nested against the user's wrist area, and the handle is gripped by the user as well. The pad material can be chosen to provide a desired degree of comfort while being resiliently deformable to permit hands and arms of differing sizes to be inserted into the gap and thereafter hold with dumbbell with appropriate comfort and control.

FIGS. 8-9 illustrate a third exercise movement using the dumbbell herein; namely, a classic kettlebell movement commonly referred to as the “swing”. As seen in FIGS. 8-9, a user can place both hands around the handle, with the pinkie on the outside of the unobstructed stem portion despite the inclusion of a plurality of added weight plates and regardless of the total thickness of the added plates.

FIG. 10 illustrate another kettlebell exercise permitted by the dumbbell herein, and commonly called the “jerk”. The dumbbell has been lifted from a position similar to that illustrated in FIG. 8-9, but using one hand only; those of ordinary skill in the art understand that a second dumbbell would likely be held with the other hand for simultaneous movement. As seen in FIG. 10, a user lifts the dumbbell straight out in front of him and continues the movement upward. At some point in the upper region of the movement, the dumbbell rotates about the axis 16 (FIG. 1), with the pad rotating into place against the user's outer forearm. The nature of the foam pad precludes discomfort when this happens.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate another version of a kettlebell exercise permitted by the dumbbell herein, wherein the upper stem portions of the frame member are gripped by the user during the movement. As best seen in FIG. 12, a user can place both hands around the stem portions despite the inclusion of a plurality of added weight plates, and regardless of the total thickness of the added plates.

Thus, the same dumbbell and handle can be used for both dumbbell exercises and kettlebell exercises.

FIG. 13 illustrates the nominal dimensions of a dumbbell constructed in accordance with the invention that provides the foregoing advantages and improvements. It should be noted, however, that variations in the illustrated configuration, sizes and shapes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The two rollers 18 may, for example, have different diameters than each other, be made from different materials from each other, and be positioned non-symmetrically with respect to each other. The last variation can, for example, be utilized to permit a dumbbell to accommodate persons of different arm lengths or different opinions as to where along the arm the pad should contact for desired comfort and/or control.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail above, it should be understood that various details, changes, substitutions and alterations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the foregoing specification. It is intended that all such variations be within the scope and spirit of the invention, and that the invention be solely defined by appended claims that shall be given the broadest allowable interpretation consistent with the Doctrine of Equivalents. 

I claim:
 1. A dumbbell comprising a pair of longitudinally-spaced frame members, each having a lower plate-like portion and an upper stem portion; a generally longitudinally-extending upper spacer bar coupled to the frames members at the stem portions; a first generally longitudinally-extending lower spacer bar coupled to the frame members at the front regions of the frame members' plate-like portions; a second generally longitudinally-extending lower spacer bar coupled to the frame members at the rear regions of the frame members' plate-like portions; and a handle mounted for rotation about the upper spacer bar.
 2. The dumbbell of claim 1 including pads mounted on the lower spacer bars to define a padded region positioned to contact the wrist area of a user during exercise movements.
 3. The dumbbell of claim 2 wherein a gap is defined between the pads defining the padded region through which the hand of a user may inserted to grasp the handle.
 4. The dumbbell of claim 3 wherein the padded region is positioned for contact with the user's wrist area during exercise movements when the user's hand is grasping the handle through said gap.
 5. The dumbbell of claim 3 wherein the gap is dimension in such a way that the pads are nested against the user's wrist area when the user's hand is grasping the handle through said gap.
 6. The dumbbell of claim 4 wherein the frame members provide substantially all the desired weight of the dumbbell.
 7. The dumbbell of claim 4, wherein the frame members provide a substantial portion of the desired weight of the dumbbell and the dumbbell is configured to accept additional weight plates adjacent each frame member
 8. The dumbbell of claim 1 wherein the dumbbell is configured to accept weight plates securely mounted adjacent each frame member, and including a plurality of weight plates securely mounted to the frame members, the weight plates being shaped to generally overly the plate portion of the frame member to which it is securely mounted and to generally not overly the stem portion of that frame member.
 9. The dumbbell of claim 1 wherein the bottom edge of the frame members are generally concave in shape as they extend from the front to the back of the dumbbell to provide four regions of support for the dumbbell when it is placed on the floor or other supporting surface. 